“Our decisions determine us” is the famous saying of Sartre, the master of French existential philosophy.
Jean-Paul Sartre (June 21, 1905 - April 15, 1980), one of the most important French philosophers of the 20th century, a French atheist existentialist The main representative figure and one of the most active advocates of Western socialism refused to accept any awards during his life, including the 1964 Nobel Prize for Literature.
Standing on the side of justice in all struggles, expressing sympathy for all kinds of deprived people, and opposing the Cold War. He is also an excellent writer, dramatist, critic and social activist.
Sartre’s plays also express his existential thoughts to a certain extent. The play "Flies" is based on the ancient Greek legend of Orestes who eradicated the usurping tyrant and avenged his father. It illustrates that people must use will and action to fight for freedom and complete the mission of survival.
"Chamber of Secrets" (1944) is a play that expounds the philosophy of existentialism. The play depicts three dead souls who do not change their original nature after death and chase each other in the underworld, explaining the objective world (including the existence and existence of others). One's own old habits) directly restrict people's survival and activities. After death, people will still remember what others say about themselves, so they believe that "others are hell."
Sartre advocated "intervention literature" (or translated as dedication literature), that is, writers should devote themselves to activities to transform society and express their opinions on various political events and social issues; literary works should intervene social reality. In terms of creative methods, he advocates writing truthfully and does not pay attention to artistic sculpture and flashy rhetoric, but wants the words to be simple and natural.
In his novels, the author's narration is often intertwined with the protagonist's inner monologue; in the time management of the work, simultaneity is emphasized. For example, in the novel "Suspended Execution", he described about 20 character activities at the same time.